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BEDTIME 

STORIES 


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CHRISTMAS STOCKING SERIES 


SNUGGY 

BEDTIME 

STORIES 


by 

John Howard' Jewett 

Author of “ The Bunny Stories'*^ 


With eight illustrations in color 

BY ANNA MILO UPJOHN 


And numerous ilhistrations in black and white 

BY VARIOUS ARTISTS 


NEW YORK 

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY 


PUBLISHERS 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Conies Received 

SEP 1 1906 

£ouyi»fiit Entry 
/QsiAj /,fqo6> 
CLASSr (X XXc. No. 
/cTVj-/ 7 
COPY 8. ' 


Copyright, 1906, by 
Frederick A. Stokes Company 
Published in August^ igo6 


The Water-Melon 
Story 


^as 
outgrew 
almost as 
was big enough 
.1- knickerbockers, 
o get into mischief 
ying to talk and act 
another boy-monkey 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


older and bigger than him- 
self, whose name was Mon- 
key-Pug. 

Then the other monkeys 
in the neighbourhood short- 
ened his name to Snug, 
which made him feel as if 
he was already grown-up 
and too old to be amused 
with toys and picture 
books. 

Snug was very fond of 
stories in which something 
happened to make things 
lively and interesting, and 
before his first knicker- 
bockers were worn out by 
climbing trees for birds’ 
nests, or chasing his ball 
over stone walls and 
through bramble bushes, 
4 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


he began early to help 
make stories himself. 

Some of the stories he 
helped to make were often 
lively, but not always as 
amusing as he thought they 
would be when he planned 
them. 

One of these stories 
happened when the water- 
melons were ripening in a 
neighbour’s field, on the 
other side of an orchard 
between his home and the 
melon-patch. 

One afternoon Monkey- 
Pug, who was older and 
bigger, played truant from 
school, and at recess called 
Snug over to the other side 
of the stone wall. Then 


5 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


Monkey-Pug told him how 
easy it would be to get 
one of the water-melons, 
when the other school- 
mates were not around, by 
staying out with him after 
the bell rang to call the 
others into school again. 

Snug agreed, and crept 
into the bushes with Mon- 
key-Pug and hid until all 
was quiet. 

Then they climbed over 
the stone wall and picked 
out the biggest and ripest 
water-melon they could 
find, and began to roll it 
over and over to the stone 
wall. 

The melon was a mon- 
strous one, but Pug said 

6 



mmm 


m 












THE WATER-MELON STORY 


that together they could 
boost it over the wall, 
and then lie down out of 
sight and eat it. 

When they had managed 
by much lifting and tug- 
ging, to get it on the top of 
the wall, Monkey-Pug 
climbed over the wall to 
let it down easy on the 
other side. 

Just then they heard a 
voice near by and Monkey- 
Pug told Snug to “scoot” 
for the orchard, and he 
would lie low behind the 
wall. 

Snug ran and climbed 
the nearest tree just in 
time to be discovered by 
the owner of the field. 


7 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


“So, I’ve caught you 
stealing my fruit, you 



“I’m not stealing the 
fruit,” replied Snug. 


8 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


“What are you doing up 
there then?” demanded 
the owner. 

“Resting a little” an- 
swered Snug. 

“That’s a likely story,” 
said the owner. “What 
made you so tired?” 

“ Running to get away,” 
answered Snug. 

“Get away from what?” 

“That switch you have 
in your hand,” was the 
reply. 

“Been up to some mis- 
chief, have you? Tell me 
what you have done,” said 
the owner. 

“Nothing much, didn’t 
get half through?” replied 
Snug, feeling that he was 
9 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


getting cornered, but anx- 
ious to put off the switch- 
ing as long as possible. 

“What have you been 
trying to do ?” demanded 
the man-monkey. 

Snug hesitated for an 
instant between the truth 
and a lie, and then frankly 
replied, “Trying to steal a 
water-melon, sir.” 

“Well, I like that. Why 
didn’t you lie about it,” 
said the owner with less 
sternness. 

“ Because I would rather 
take the switching now 
and have it over with, than 
sit up here any longer 
thinking about it.” 

“You can come down. 


lO 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


youngster,” said the man- 
monkey, “I’ll break up 
this switch, you don’t need 
it.” 

“Don’t break the 
switch,” cried Snug, “Keep 
it whole and give it to me.” 

“How do you know I 
wouldn’t break my word 
and use the switch on you, 
if I do not break up the 
switch?” asked the owner. 

“Because you wouldn’t 
dare to,” said Snug. 

“Dare to what?” asked 
the man. 

“ Break your word. My 
mother says no gentleman- 
monkey ever does — and I 
can make a whistle-whip 
out of that willow sprout 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


if you will let me have it,” 
replied Snug, as he 
scrambled down the tree 
and stood before the man- 
monkey, who seemed more 
pleased than angry about 
the matter. 

Taking Snug by the 
hand the man-monkey 
then led him into the 
house where he gave him 
two slices of the largest and 
ripest and sweetest water- 
melon he had ever tasted 
in his life, and invited him 
to come again when he was 
hungry for water-melon. 

When Snug reached 
home the teacher had re- 
ported his absence from 
school after recess, and for 


12 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


punishment Snug was shut 
up in his own room alone 
until the next morning, 
with only bread and water 
for supper, which wasn’t so 
bad as it might have been 
for the water-melon had 
taken the edge off of his 
appetite. 

The evening was long, 
and his conscience not 
quite easy, for he wondered 
whether Monkey-Pug had 
gotten away with the mel- 
on or left it behind, and 
he thought it would have 
been better to have told 
a little more of the truth, 
while he wq.s about it, to 
the man-monkey. 

Before going to sleep he 
13 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


resolved to do so in the 
morning, and to take his 
full share of the blame, in- 
stead of putting it upon 
Monkey- Pug who had 
really led him into this 
thieving scrape. 

Shut up in his room 
alone Snug did not even 
dream of what had hap- 
pened to Monkey-Pug 
after they parted in such 
haste. 

When Monkey-Pug told 
Snug to “Scoot,” the huge 
melon was on top of the 
stone wall, and in his haste 
to get out of sight and to 
hide himself, he tugged at 
the melon until it rolled 
off the wall and came 


14 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


crashing down upon him, 
pinning him to the ground 
underneath. 

The weight of the mel- 
on nearly squeezed the life 
out of him, and he lay 
there for some time help- 
less but afraid to call for 
help. 

At last a bright idea 
came to him. As his arms 
were free, by twisting and 
turning he was able to get 
his jack-knife from his 
pocket, and began to cut a 
hole through the rind 
around the lower side and 
nearest his head. 

After much gouging 
and whittling he managed 
to make a large opening 
15 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


and then began the plea- 
sant task of eating up the 
sweet and juicy inside of 
the melon. 

The more he ate the 
larger the hole became, 
and the lighter the melon 
pressed upon the lower 
part of his body and legs, 
until at last he was able to 
crawl from under the 
great shell, and to creep 
inside and finish the whole 
of it, out of sight and shel- 
tered from the heat of the 
afternoon sun. 

The quarters were so 
cozy and his body so full 
of water-melon that he 
soon became drowsy and 
fell asleep. There is no 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


knowing how long Mon- 
key-Pug would have slept, 
eurled up in his sweet- 
smelling round house, had 
not the man-monkey and 
one of his neighbours 
chaneed to take a stroll 
through the melon-patch 
and discovered that the 
biggest and best one of the 
lot had disappeared. 

The trail was plain to 
the wall, and upon look- 
ing over the wall they saw 
the missing melon with a 
litter of seeds and rind 
around the lower edges. 
They turned over the hol- 
low shell and to their sur- 
prise there lay Monkey- 
Pug rubbing his eyes open, 

• 17 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


and looking as if he had 
been rudely wakened from 
a bad dream, as they pulled 
him out by the collar and 
began to question the 
frightened monkey. 

“What became of the 
inside of this melon?” de- 
manded the owner. 

“Had to eat it up to 
get out from under it,” 
sullenly answered the cul- 
prit. 

“Did you eat it up all 
alone?” asked the owner. 

“Had to, there wasn’t 
anyone here to help me,” 
answered the moist and 
sticky Monkey-Pug. 

“Made a pretty good 
luncheon all by yourself, I 

i8 • 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


should say,” remarked the 
neighbour. 

“Must have had quite a 
picnic,” added the owner. 

“ Comes pretty near be- 
ing a miracle,” said the 
neighbour. “I don’t see 
where he could put it all, 
and still have had room to 
house himself inside.” 

“ That’s no miracle,” re- 
plied the owner of the 
melon, “I have a pig that 
can do the same thing. 
That little pig will eat two 
buckets full of meal and 
milk for breakfast, and 
when he has finished I can 
drop him into one of the 
buckets and he doesn’t fill 
it half full. It is only a 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


way some pigs have, and 
this thieving monkey seems 
to have the same kind of 
an appetite.” 

Then the man-monkey 
took Monkey-Pug by the 
ear and said: 

“If you don’t die of 
stomachache to-night, and 
wish to -live to grow up 
with a whole bone in your 
body, you would better 
keep out of my melon- 
patch in future. 

“ Now be off with you, 
and give yourself a good 
rinsing in the pool, before 
the bees, that are trying to 
get at what you have left 
on the outside of yourself, 
eat you up or sting you to 


20 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


death. Be off, I tell you,” 
— and away Monkey-Pug 
limped, cuffing at the bees, 
glad to get off so easily 
with a whole skin; in spite 
of the bruises received when 
the big water-melon fell 
upon him from the top of 
the stone wall by the mel- 
on patch. 

Snug went to the man- 
monkey and told the 
whole truth the next 
morning, but it was then 
too late to save the melon. 
The man-monkey received 
him kindly but said little, 
and forgot to offer Snug 
any more water-m e 1 o n , 
which did not really matter, 
for he was glad to feel that 


THE WATER-MELON STORY 


he had tried to be honest 
and truthful about the 
whole alFair — water-melon 
or no water-melon. 


22 


When the Hoodlums 
Played Turtle With 
Snu^ 










II 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 

T here is another 
story that Snug the 
boy-monkey helped 
to make himself, and be- 
fore he got to the end he 
had more help in making 
things lively, than was 
pleasant, however funny 
it might have seemed to 
the other monkeys who 
joined in the sport. 

Snug was very fond of 
water. Not that he cried 
for it in the bathtub on a 
cold morning, or used any 
more than he really needed 
on his hands and face, after 


25 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


romping about in the 
fields or playing ball with 
his mates. 

H e was fond of water 
in large quantities like 
brooks and ponds and 
rivers. He liked the swift- 
running brooks where he 
could send little wooden 
or birch-bark boats bob- 
bing up and down in the 
stream through the little 
rapids and eddies, till they 
floated on out of sight, 
perhaps to be found by 
some other young monkey, 
far down the stream who 
would wonder where they 
came from. . 

Snug especially liked the 
ponds where the frogs gave 

26 




THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 

their concerts in the spring, 
and the turtles sunned 
themselves on the drift- 
wood, lodged on the shal- 
lows out of reach from the 
shore. 

He did not enjoy hurt- 
ing or killing the frogs be- 
cause they were so timid 
and harmless, but the tur- 
tles dozing on a plank 
within an easy throwing 
distance from the edge of 
the pond, were such a 
tempting mark that he 
sometimes amused himself 
by pelting them with 
pebble-stones or green 
cocoanuts, just for the fun 
of seeing them waddle off 
into the water when his 


27 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


shots hit them, or came too 
near for comfort. 

The river he liked best 
of all, because his father- 
monkey had a row-boat 
and was also teaching him 
to swim. Snug enjoyed 
the swimming lessons and 
was getting on finely, for 
the father-monkey told 
him that the way to learn 
to swim was not to be 
afraid, to keep his mouth 
closed, take in deep breaths 
and strike out slowly and 
steadily, imitating the mo- 
tion of the frog’s hind legs. 

One warm afternoon 
Snug thought he would 
take a little swimming 
lesson all alone and vyith- 
28 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


out permission, just to 
prove that he wasn’t afraid, 
and perhaps because he 
knew that he would not 
be allowed to go if he said 
anything about his plan 
beforehand. 

So off he went, and 
thinking it would be fun 
to wade about in the shal- 
low water and push the 
boat in front of him, he 
put his clothing into the 
boat and began pushing 
and splashing and having 
great sport all by himself. 

Even good swimmers are 
careful when bathing in 
rivers, because the swift 
currents, or hidden springs 
of colder water, sometimes 


29 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


wear deep holes or gullies 
very near the shore and 
sand-bars, that are risky 
and dangerous. 

Snug felt safe and con- 
fident with his hands 
gripped on the end of the 
boat as he pushed it along 
where the water wasn’t 
deep, until he suddenly 
found his footing gone and 
his head pulled under water 
by the plunge, in spite of 
his tight grip on the stern 
of the skiff. 

Sputtering the water 
from his mouth, and cling- 
ing fast to the boat Snug 
dangled and floated with 
the current for several 
minutes, which seemed 


30 













iil<5iiii 



^ y 




THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


hours to him in his fright, 
and although he tried his 
best to climb into the boat, 
the light craft tipped and 
wobbled so easily that he 
nearly upset it several 
times in his struggles to get 
aboard. 

While drifting, clinging 
and waiting to get breath 
for another attempt, his 
feet touched bottom, and 
in his eagerness to have 
something to stand on 
once more Snug let go of 
the boat, and cautiously 
waded ashore, thankful to 
be safe on dry land again, 
while the boat with his 
clothing went floating 
away lightly down the 
31 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


stream as if glad to be rid 
of its flopping and floun- 
dering burden. 

Naked and alone on the 
river bank with the pros- 
pect of losing the boat as 
well as his clothing, Snug 
ran along the shore hoping 
that some friendly current 
would send the boat shore- 
ward near enough for him 
to wade out and get it, but 
after a long chase he gave 
it up and silently watched 
the runaway skilfl, with his 
best suit, go floating fur- 
ther and further from the 
shore and down the stream 
on its way to the ocean 
somewhere miles and miles 
below. 


32 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


Then he began to think 
about getting home, and 
was surprised to find that 
it was nearly sunset, and 
he remembered that there 
was to be an evening parade 
and fireworks in the vil- 
lage. 

He was a long way from 
home, stark naked, and the 
streets would be full of his 
monkey-friends and com- 
panions, who would won- 
der at his plight and put 
him to shame before he 
could reach the shelter of 
his home. 

Snug trudged along 
hoping to meet some one 
to help him out of the 
scrape, but the stragglers 

33 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


had all gone to the village 
to see the parade. At last 
he decided to hide in the 
bushes near the street that 
led to his home, and wait 
until the coast was clear, 
and as the night breeze 
was growing chilly he was 
glad to crawl into an 
empty flour barrel for 
shelter until the parade 
was over. 

One end of the barrel 
was open and the other 
broken in, making a hole 
large enough to put his 
head through, by standing 
up, when he wished to 
look out and watch for a 
chance to make a race for 
home. 


34 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


The hours of waiting 
were long, but the parade 
and fireworks were over at 
last, and under the cover of 
the barrel. Snug moved 
along cautiously, stopping 
and ducking his head in- 
side, every time he heard a 
noise, until he came to an 
open field and began to 
think he could safely leave 
his wooden overcoat and 
make a lively run for home 
unseen by anyone. 

Just at that moment 
round the corner came a 
strolling party of monkey- 
hoodlums who caught sight 
of the strange object in the 
moonlight, and one of 
whom shouted: “Hi there. 


35 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


see the big turtle out on 
a lark.” 

Snug clucked his head 
just in time to escape a 
shower of green cocoanuts 
and stones from the crowd, 
who kept up the sport for 
several minutes while the 
missiles banged and rattled 
against the sides of the 
barrel, until tired of pelting 
the “big turtle,” the hood- 
urns came near, upset the 
barrel and discovered the 
squirming monkey inside. 

Snug tried to get out, 
but the hoodlum monkeys 
penned him in, and, wild 
for fun, they shouted: 
“Let’s give him a ride 
down the hill.” 

36 





ipi 



THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


The field sloped toward 
the village and in a few 
seconds the barrel was sent 
spinning down hill with 
Snug rolling and tumbling 
inside, and wondering what 
would happen next when 
the barrel should stop roll- 
ing and give him a chance 
to use his legs once more. 

The’ shouts of the hood- 
lums on the hill brought a 
monkey-policeman ’round 
the corner of the street 
just in time to meet the 
barrel and Snug rolling 
slowly by, until it bumped 
against a post and suddenly 
stopped. 

When the bruised, naked 
and dizzy Snug crawled 
37 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


out of the barrel he was 
roughly seized by the mon- 
key-officer who thought he 
was one of the hoodlums 
that had been making other 
disturbances that even- 
ing, and before Snug could 
explain who he was or 
how he came there, he 
was marched off to the 
lockup. 

Snug’s absence from 
home had not alarmed the 
family because they 
thought it likely he had 
stayed away to watch and 
f o 1 1 o w the parade, but 
when the fireworks were 
over, and Snug did not re- 
turn, they began to get 
anxious and to make en- 
38 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


quiries in the neighbour- 
hood. 

About the time Snug 
was taking his roll-and- 
tumble ride down hill, a 
fisherjnan - monkey came 
into the village with a 
bundle of clothing and 
the alarming report that 
some monkey-boy had 
probably been drowned, 
as he had found the cloth- 
ing in an empty skilF 
drifting down the river 
miles below. 

The father -monkey at 
once recognised the suit as 
that of his own precious 
Snuggie, and calling his 
friends together, an anx- 
ious party set out for the 
39 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


river to search for the mis- 
sing monkey-boy. 

The tired, sorry and al- 
most dazed young prisoner 
in the lock-up had been 
given an old coat and blan- 
ket to wrap himself in, and 
was wondering what he 
could do or say to con- 
vince the monkey-officer 
that he was Mr. Snuggle- 
ton-Monkey’s only son, 
and not a hoodlum, when 
the door of his cell was 
opened and he heard some- 
one say, “Perhaps this is 
the young monkey you are 
looking for; he evidently 
has been in swimming if 
he hasn’t been drowned, 
and has had a good airing 


40 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


in a barrel with time 
enough to dry off since he 
came out of the water.” 

In less time than it takes 
to tell it, Snug was in his 
father’s arms, and with 
much rejoicing the search- 
ing party escorted the 
happy and grateful father- 
monkey and son to the 
anxious and almost broken- 
hearted mother-monkey at 
home. 

The wooden barrel was 
afterwards sawed half 
through the middle, and 
down from the top, and 
made into an arm-chair, 
which Snug’s good mother 
padded and covered with 
bright coloured cloth for 


41 


THE HOODLUMS PLAYED TURTLE 


her dear little monkey-son 
to sit in when he was tired, 
and wished to think about 
“playing turtle in a 
wooden overcoat.” 


42 


Snu^ Visits the 
Turtles and Meets 
Huni^ry Parrot 





Ill 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES AND 
MEETS A HUNGRY PARROT 

L ittle Snug- Mon- 
key wasn’t looking 
for any new mischief 
one morning when he went 
over to the turtle pond, 
partly to have a pleasant 
walk and partly to have a 
quiet talk with the turtles, 
if any of his turtle friends 
had crawled out so early 
to enjoy the morning sun- 
shine. 

Ever since Snug’s acci- 
dent with the boat in the 
river, and the rough treat- 
ment given him by the 

45 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


monkey-hoodlums in his 
“ wooden-overcoat,” when 
they called him a “big- 
turtle,” pelting him with 
stones and green cocoa- 
nuts, and rolling him down 
hill in the barrel, he had 
changed his mind about 
the funny end of pelting 
the harmless turtles. 

Snug liked to think that 
all the harmless creatures 
of the field, the birds in 
the trees and hedges, and 
even the frogs and turtles 
in the ponds, were friendly, 
and he wondered how he 
could have been so stupid 
as to enjoy scaring the tur- 
tles or hurting them, for 
his own idle amusement. 

46 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


He was glad to see half 
a dozen or more old and 
young turtles out sunning 
themselves on the drift- 
wood, as he came to the 
edge of the pond. 

“Good morning, tur- 
tles,” said Snug in his 
pleasantest tones; “don’t 
be frightened, I only want 
a quiet talk; no pelting 
this time, I promise you. ” 
“Kerchug! Kerchug! 
Splash! ” was the only an- 
swer as the turtles woke 
up and made haste to 
tumble into the water out 
of sight, as quick as they 
heard Snug’s voice. 

Snug was half ashamed, 
and half provoked, that the 
47 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


turtles should doubt his 
word, and refuse to hear 
what he had come in all 
kindness to say, until he 
thought of the hoodlum- 
monkeys, and the pains he 
had taken to shun their 
company since they played 
“ turtle” with him and his 
wooden overcoat. 

While he was thinking 
about this he saw two or 
three turtle noses sticking 
up through the brush- 
wood, peeping at him with 
their blinking little eyes, 
and so he tried again. 

“Just wait- a minute, 
will you, and hear what I 
have come to tell you,” 
said Snug quietly. “I’m 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


sorry I have treated you 
shabbily, and I don’t blame 
you for hiding, but honest 
now, you can trust me in 
future. Come out and be 
comfortable in the sun and 
let’s have a talk.” 

One of the boldest of 
the turtles presently wad- 
dled and flopped himself 
on top of a floating board, 
and said: “I’m afraid you 
will bear watching, and I 
should enjoy our chat 
better if you would put 
your hands way above your 
head where I can see 
whether you have anything 
in your hands or up your 
sleeve, in case you should 
change your mind.” 

49 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


“That’s a cool way to 
treat a friend,” replied 
Snug “but I’ll do it to 
please you,” and up went 
both hands, high above his 
head, making Snug look as 
if he had met a highway- 
man, and was about to be 
searched and robbed. 

“What made you change 
your mind?” asked the 
turtle. 

“ Oh, I had a chance to 
play being a turtle myself 
a little while,” answered 
Snug; “just long enough 
to learn where the fun 
does not come in for the 
turtle.” 

“That’s funny; tell me 
about it,” said the turtle. 

5 ° 







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I 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


“It is too long a story, 
and I’m not quite sure I 
should find it amusing to 
repeat it to you, but I will 
tell you that the hoodlum- 
monkeys had lots of fun 
with me, and didn’t seem 
to mind my bruises, or care 
for my feelings, so long as 
they could make things 
lively by throwing stones, 
and rolling me over and 
over, and down hill, until 
I did not know whether I 
was a turtle, a foot-ball, a 
wooden image, or a mon- 
key.” 

“Ho! Ho! Great larks! 
wasn’t it?” shouted the 
turtle. “Tell me some 
more. When are you go- 

51 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


ing to play turtle again — 
I’d like to be there to see 
the fun.” 

“I tell you it wasn’t fun 
— it was brutality,” sharply 
replied Snug. 

“Hurt you much?” 
asked the turtle, trying to 
hide a snicker. 

“See here. I’m getting 
tired of holding up my 
hands and trying to be 
friendly with you,” said 
Snug. “Just put yourself 
in my place and see how 
you would like it.” 

“Oh, I’ve been there, 
several times, and perhaps 
you may remember one or 
two of the occasions,” slyly 
answered the turtle. 


52 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


“There you go twitting 
me, when I came over 
here just to apologise and 
make friends with you,” 
sulkily answered Snug. 
“I’m going home.” 

“Wait a minute,” said 
the turtle, “it is my turn 
now. I’m sorry I hurt 
your feelings — but oh, it 
is funny to think what a 
difference it makes when 
a monkey gets hold of 
the turtle end of the 
sport. Let’s call it quits, 
and be good friends, and 
some day I’ll show you 
my birthday figures, which 
I wear on my back. My 
breakfast is waiting — ex- 
cuse me now. Good 


S3 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


morning. Come again 
soon.” 

“Kerchunk!” and the 
turtle disappeared under 
water. Snug said “ By-by ” 
to the ripples, and left the 
pond glad that he had 
“made-up” with the tur- 
tles, and not a little sur- 
prised that the turtles 
had such clear ideas about 
how things work when 
the other fellow throws 
the stones or green cocoa- 
nuts. 

Snug had gone but a 
few rods when he heard a 
voice overhead saying: 
“Pretty little monkey-boy, 
please stop a minute. 
Polly wants a cracker, do 
54 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


you happen to have one in 
your pocket? ” 

Snug looked up and saw 
a handsome grey and gold 
parrot perched in the 
branches of an evergreen 
tree close by, and replied: 

“Hello, Poll. Where 
did you come from?” 

“ Skipped away from the 
sailors who kept me at 
school in a wire cage, on 
board the ship that came 
into the harbour here last 
week,” answered the par- 
rot, and added: “It’s hol- 
low talking on an empty 
stomach. Polly wants a 
cracker.” 

“Sorry I haven’t a 
cracker with me, but here 


55 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


is a piece of ginger-bread I 
was saving for luncheon. 
Come and get it if you are 
hungry,” said Snug, as he 
took the sweet-cake from 
his pocket. 

The parrot flew down 
and perched on Snug’s 
shoulder, mumbling a 
hasty “Thank you,” as he 
nibbled at the welcome 
lunch. 

“ Better come home with 
me,” said Snug. 

“Not while I have 
wings that will work,” 
replied Poll. “I’ve been 
clipped, and caged and 
educated until I hardly 
know myself. I’m free now 
and I mean to keep so.” 

56 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


“Free to starve to death 
in the woods, I should 
say,” replied Snug. 

“Well, I confess I’m 
hungry this morning, but 
I can take care of myself 
when I get my bearings, 
and the better use of my 
wings. I always did be- 
fore I was cau ght and 
clipped.” 

“What do you mean by 
‘clipped’?” enquired Snug. 

“H aving my wing- 
feathers pulled out, or cut 
off on one side,” answered 
Poll. “You would call it 
being crippled if one of 
your legs was disabled or 
shortened and made use- 
less.” 


57 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


“Couldn’t you fly at 
all?” asked Snug. 

“I thought I could, and 
I managed to unhook my 
cage door one dark night, 
and flew away from the 
ship to find the shore that 
was only half a mile off, 
but it was only a merry- 
go-round journey after 
all.” 

“Didn’t you get away?” 
questioned Snug. 

“Oh, yes, I got away, 
but I couldn’t stay away. 
I flew, and flew and flew 
all night, and thought I 
had left the ship miles be- 
hind, but when daylight 
came there I was flying 
round and round that ship 
58 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


in a circle. I couldn’t fly 
straight however hard I 
tried.” 

“Why not?” still ques- 
tioned Snug. 

“ Because one wing was 
shorter than the other, and 
kept me wheeling to the 
weak side all the time — 
round and round, until I 
was glad to fall into the 
water and let the sailors 
fish me out and put me 
back in the cage.” 

“ Had better luck this 
time, didn’t you?” said 
Snug. 

“Luck, or pluck or a 
little of both,” answered 
the parrot. “They 
clipped both wings after 
59 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


that, and both grew out 
alike, so when they tried 
to clip them again the 
other day, I bit the finger 
of the sailor who was hold- 
ing me, until he dropped 
me on the deck, and I 
didn’t wait to say ‘good- 
by,’ or to listen to his 
compliments. Oh, but 
that sailor was a singer and 
no mistake! You might 
have heard his wow! 
wow! wow! way over 
here.” 

“You said something 
about ‘school.’ Are you 
an educated parrot?” asked 
Snug. 

“Educated?” replied the 
parrot. “I should say I 

6o 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


was. I can sing the ‘Star 
Spangled Banner’ back- 
wards — and speak three 
languages in a minute.” 

“Three languages in a 
minute! You must be a 
scholar. Sorry I can’t stay 
longer to hear you,” said 
Snug, “but I must be ofF, 
or get a tardy mark at 
school.” 

“Come back after 
school, and bring me a 
cracker or more of that 
sweet stuff, and I’ll teach 
you how to do it,” said 
Poll, “but be sure to come 
alone and keep my secret, 
for I’m looking for trouble 
until that ship leaves port.” 

“All right,” replied 

6i 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 


Snug. “I’ll bring you a 
supper before dark and we 
will have a few private 
lessons just between our- 
selves.” 

The parrot flew back to 



the tree and Snug went to 
school, but his head was so 
full of turtle and parrot 
talk that he got a bad 
mark in all his classes and 
wore the “dunce-cap” half 
the afternoon just because 
he had tried to be friendly 

62 


SNUG VISITS THE TURTLES 

with the turtles and to be 
good to a hungry parrot, 
and couldn’t stop thinking 
about it all long enough 
to study his lessons. 


63 



Snu^ and the WicKed 
Parrot 




IV 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 

T he Mon key -town 
school-room where 
Snug went to school 
was very light and airy in 
pleasant weather, because 
it was all out-of-doors in a 
tree top ; the wooden seats 
and desks were very easy 
and convenient for mon- 
keys, because the branches 
of the tree grew and spread 
out just right for the pur- 
pose; the monkey-pupils 
were not kept in at recess, 
for looking out of the win- 
dows, instead of studying 
their books, because there 
67 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


were no walls or windows 
nearer than the sky or 
mountains. 



When the showers were 
not too wet they waited in 
a water proof grove until 
the shower was over; when 
68 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


the storm was heavy and 
long the school was dis- 
missed, and some of the 
idle young monkeys wished 
a thunder storm would last 
a whole week, because they 
were only idle monkeys 
and did not know any 
better. 

Another reason was be- 
cause these idlers were tired 
of seeing their names 
written on the black-board 
every day like this: 

“Monkey Number 
Three will remain after 
school closes for an hour, 
to finish studying his spell- 
ing lesson.” 

“Monkey Number Five 
will sit on the dunce-block 

69 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


while the others go out 
to play, for popping his 
pea-gun during school 
hours.” 

“ Monkey Number Seven 
will now be given a taste of 
a limber willow-switch, for 
eating nuts and throwing 
the shells at the good little 
monkeys on the front 
seats.” 

“Monkey Number Nine 
will wear the large leather 
medal on his breast when 
he goes home to-night, for 
doing monkey-shines in- 
stead of his arithmetic, and 
his father will do the rest, 
or I will in the morning.” 

Of course these were 
good reasons for not wish- 
70 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


ing to go to school, but 
monkey-boys are monkey- 
boys, and what else could 
be expected of idle young 
monkeys? You can guess 
what our Snug’s number 
was, when you have fin- 
ished reading the stories he 
helped to make. 

Snug-monkey did not 
forget the promise he had 
made the Poll parrot who 
had offered to teach him 
how to talk in three lan- 
guages in a minute, if Snug 
would bring him a good 
breakfast before going to 
school the next morning. 

About eight o’clock 
Snug reached the big tree 
near the turtle-pond and 
71 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


found the parrot roosting 
on the same branch where 
he had left him the night 
before. 

“Good morning, Poll,” 
said Snug cheerily. “Why 
don’t you brace up and 
look cheerful?” 

“Morning — glad you 
have come at last,” grum- 
bled Poll. “ Perhaps you 
would find it easy to ‘be 
cheerful’ between meals, on 
one small piece of gin- 
ger-bread since yesterday 
morning.” 

“Sorry I am so late,” 
said Snug, taking a couple 
of crackers from his pocket. 

“Better late than never. 
I am hungry enough to eat 
72 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


a shingle with a gravel- 
stone sauce,” said Poll, and 
fluttering down to Snug’s 
shoulder the hungry parrot 
began to munch the 
crackers. 

“Anything happened 
during the rdght?” asked 
Snug. 

“Happened?” repeated 
Poll. “I didn’t get a wink 
of sleep. The grove over 
yonder is full of owls that 
hooted ‘Who, who, who are 
you?’ all night long, and 
when I told them that I 
was a tired stranger and 
would like to get a nap 
before morning, they kept 
right on asking the same 
question, ‘Who, who, who 
73 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


are your"’ over and over 
again.” 

“Why didn’t you have 
an evening school and 
teach them to talk like 
yourse If, in three lan- 
guages?” 

“Teach an owl!” mut- 
tered Poll. “Might as 
well try to teach a crow to 
sing. The owl thinks he 
is a wise bird because he 
looks as though he might 
be, and because he can ask 
a question and stare like a 
‘graven image’ when you 
answer.” 

“ Did tne owls come 
over to see you?” ques- 
tioned Snug. 

“Oh, yes, they thought 

74 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


they had found a long-lost 
cousin,” said Poll, “and 
seemed to think a respect- 
able grey-and-gold parrot 
was a painted owl, because 
our faces look a little alike, 
especially our curved beaks. 
But I am tired o f owls. 
Did you bring any more 
crackers?” 

“Just one more, which 
you would better save for 
luncheon,” replied Snug, 
“but I found these dry 
sun-flower seeds in the 
attic.” 

“Oh, thank you. How 
kind and thoughtful you 
are! I dote on sun-flower 
seeds, and I hope you will 
excuse my manners when 
75 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


you came, tor I was feel- 
ing very peckish,” replied 
the now smiling Poll. 

« Peck away at the sun- 
flower seeds, and if you can 
do two th ings at once, 
please begin teaehing me 
the three languages or I 
shall be late for the school- 
bell,” said Snug. 

“Certainly, with pleas- 
ure. Glad you reminded 
me of my part of the con- 
tract. If you are ready 
we will begin now.” 

For the next fifteen 
minutes Snug listened and 
repeated the strangest lot 
of words and short sen- 
tences he had ever heard 
in his life, which he did 
76 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


not understand, but 
thought they must be very 
smart and witty because 
the parrot chuckled, in a 
silly way, every time Snug 
repeated the senseless 
words. 

When the warning 
school-bell rang. Snug said 
“good-by” to Poll, who 
told him as they parted 
that they might not meet 
again — and it was perhaps 
fortunate for Poll that 
they never did. 

At recess Snug was so 
anxious to show off and 
surprise his monkey-mates 
with his skill in three lan- 
guages, that he called his 
chums together and began 
77 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


to recite the parrot-talk to 
the astonished group. 

The school-master, who 
chanced to be near at 
hand, overheard Snug’s glib 
chatter, and was so shocked 
that he could hardly be- 
lieve his own ears. Before 
Snug had half finished his 
showing-off, the monkey 
school-master seized him 
by the collar and sternly 
said: “No more of that 
vulgar and profane talk 
here, you wicked little ras- 
cal,” and without waiting 
for Snug to explain that 
he was only repeating 
what the parrot had taught 
him, the monkey-master 
led Snug to a brook near 
78 




SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


by, and called the school 
to come and see the rest 
of the entertainment. 

Then one of the mon- 
key-pupils was sent to 
bring a sponge, and when 
brought, poor Snug was 
ducked in the river and 
had his mouth washed out 
with the sponge so many 
times and so thoroughly 
that he thought his teeth 
were getting loose. 

When this punishment 
was over the monkey- 
master hung a big leather 
medal on Snug’s breast 
and sent him home with a 
note to the father-monkey, 
telling him all about it and 
what a horrid, vulgar and 
79 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


wickea young monkey his 
only son had become. 

Snug’s good mother- 
monkey read the note and 
didn’t believe a word of it, 
for she had never heard 
anything of the kind from 
her Snuggie’s lips. 

Snug was so glad to 
have someone who would 
listen to him, and believe 
he meant no harm, that he 
told her the whole story, 
and repeated a little of the 
parrot-talk, until she 
stopped him and explained 
what the parrot’s talk in 
three languages really 
meant. 

Then the ashamed and 
blushing Snug learned that 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


he had been taking lessons 
and learning to repeat 
words used only by mon- 
key-hoodlums, monkey- 
pirates and stupid Poll 
parrots. 

When the father-mon- 
key came home and heard 
the whole truth about the 
matter, he was sorry for 
Snug, and so angry with 
the parrot that he declared 
he would clip that Poll 
parrot’s tongue as well as 
wings, if he ever caught 
him in that neighbourhood. 

The next morning he 
went with Snug and ex- 
plained the Poll parrot’s 
shabby trick to the mon- 
key-master and the school, 

8i 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


which cleared Snug’s good 
name and made the fu- 
ture look a little brighter, 
but the babbling brook 
never seemed quite the 
same to Snug after that 
“wash out” of the Poll 
parrot’s talk in three lan- 
guages. 

A few days later a large, 
printed sheet, like a circus 
poster, was found tacked 
on to a tree in Monkey- 
town, which read: 

CAUTION 

‘‘A villainous tame parrot, that es- 
caped from my ship a few days ago, 
is loose somewhere in this neighbour- 
hood. 

“All monkey-parents are cautioned 
to keep a sharp lookout for this run- 
away parrot, and to warn their sons 
82 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


to shun this deceitful and vulgar 
creature. 

“This Poll parrot often leads 
young monkeys astray by pretending 
to be a teacher of languages. 

“Although sometimes able to talk 
with decency for a few minutes, this 
wretched bird has been so much in the 
company of pirates, hoodlums and 
other vicious parrots, that swearing 
and all kinds of vulgar slang seem to 
have become natural to the parrot, 
but shocking to all well-bred gentle- 
folk. 

“If found at large, the finder may 
keep the parrot as a frightful example. 
The owner has no use for that kind 
of a bird on the ship. 

“[Signed] Captain Sailorman.” 

* * * 

when the monkey- 
friends read this notice 
they all agreed that Snug 
wasn’t such a bad monkey- 
boy after all, for the same 
accident might have hap- 
83 


SNUG AND THE WICKED PARROT 


pened to any other young 
monkey, had not Snug 
been the first and only 
one, in all Monkey-town, 
to go to school to a parrot. 


84 


Playing “Wild Indians 
and Buffaloes’* 


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V 

PLAYING WILD INDIANS 

NE Saturday after- 
noon Snug-Mon- 
key and Monkey- 
Pug planned to go off 
into the fields by them- 
selves and play they were 
Wild Indians out hunting 
Buffaloes. 

There wasn’t a real buf- 
falo within a thousand 
miles of Monkey-.town, but 
that didn’t matter, for 
these young monkeys knew 
the kind of game they were 
going to hunt, and it was 
just as easy to imagine the 
woods were full of buf- 
87 



PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


faloes as to play that they 
were Wild Indians, and it 
made the sport much more 
exciting. 



Armed with wooden 
guns they marched off to 
the pasture-fields, where 
they found plenty of the 
game they were looking for, 
waiting for them in the 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 

pasture hedge-rows and 
underbrush. 

“There goes a bulFalo. 
Head him off, Snug!” 
shouted Monkey-Pug, as a 
nimble creature about half 
the size of a full-grown 
monkey bounded over the 
stone wall, and perched on 
a hummock in plain sight. 

This “Buffalo” was the 
kind of an animal whose 
ears were longer than his 
fore-legs, his hind legs 
nearly as long as his body, 
and his tail as short as if it 
had been cut off twice be- 
fore it had really begun to 
grow. 

When Snug and Mon- 
key-Pug were not playing 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


that they were Wild In- 
dians, they called this kind 
of a creature by his real 
name, Jack-Rabbit, and 
Jack- Rabbit didn’t mind 
what the hunters with the 
wooden guns called him, 
so long as he could outrun 
the fleetest monkey that 
ever was born. 

Neither was Jack-Rab- 
bit afraid of wooden guns, 
unless he let the hunters 
get near enough to use 
them as clubs, and he 
really liked a little fun 
himself when the weather 
was fine and young mon- 
keys were not too thick in 
the neighbourhood. 

When the hunters had 


90 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


climbed the wall and were 
going to surround the game, 
Jack-Rabbit cocked up his 
ears, and, winking his 
eye, called out merrily: 
“You are It! Catch me 
if you can.” Then he 
loped away at an easy pace 
for a quarter of a mile or 
more. 

This he repeated several 
times, as the monkey- 
hunters came near, until he 
had led them a merry 
chase in a wide circle back 
to the starting point. 

Then he sat up on a 
hummock and began to 
wag his ears criss-cross, 
while he sang a little song 
about short legs and long 
91 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


ears to the panting hunters, 
who had thrown them- 
selves down on the grass 
to rest and get breath for 
a fresh start; and this is 
the song he sang: 

“O, little boy-monkeys, your legs are 
too short, 

Your tails are too long for your 
ears; 

You better look out or you will get 
caught 

With my wagglety-wa gglety 
shears ! 

“O, little boy-monkey, why turn you 
so pale. 

At my wagglety-wagglety ears? 

I can piece out your legs with a piece 
of your tail 

With my wagglety-w^agglety 
shears.” 

This was more than the 


92 



MMIitfliiii 




tlifiitnM' 


iitiltii':!! 


I 


JiniM 




KMHEl 







PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


Wild Indians could stand, 
and Snug said he wished 
they had brought his 
father’s shot-gun with 
them, for the sight of it 
would frighten that saucy 
Jack-Rabbit to death, even 
if the gun wasn’t loaded. 

Monkey-Pug said he 
knew where the gun-rack 
was in the stable, and after 
hesitating a minute Snug 
said, “All right. You go 
ahead and get it, and I’ll 
stay here and amuse this 
Jack-Rabbit until you get 
back with the gun.” 

Snug began to tease the 
rabbit by asking him if he 
could spell rabbit-pie 
baekwards, and how he 
93 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


would prefer to be cooked 
— boiled, stewed or roasted 
— and other personal ques- 
tions intended to hurt 
Jack-Rabbit’s feelings — 
which was a monkey’s way 
of trying to be funny — 
until Monkey-Pug came 
creeping back with the 
gun. 

Of course they thought 
the gun “vyasn’t loaded,” 
like many other monkeys, 
some of whom only lived 
long enough to find out 
how easy it is to be mis- 
taken when fooling with 
fire-arms. 

Jack-Rabbit seemed to 
think it would be safer to 
move a little farther away, 
94 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


and Pug started on a run 
to head him oiF for fear 
Jack-Rabbit would get 
away before he had been 
frightened to death by the 
sight of the gun. 

Pug shouted to Snug as 
he ran, “Ready. Take 
aim. Fire!” and Snug 
dropped on his knees, 
brought the gun to his 
shoulder to go through the 
motions as ordered, and to 
make it seem more real he 
cocked the gun, pulled the 
trigger and to his horror 
the gun went off with a 
“bang!” quickly followed 
by a wild -monkey-shriek. 

When Snug had picked 
himself up from the recoil 
95 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


of the gun, Jack-Rabbit 
had disappeared, and Mon- 
key-Pug was dancing on 
one foot, howling with 
fright and shouting be- 
tween breaths, “O, I’m 
killed. I’m killed!” 



Snug ran to his side and 
was glad to find that only 
a few scattering bird-shot 
had hit Pug in the leg, 
while the greater part of 
96 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 

the charge had torn up tne 
turf nearby. Monkey-Pug 
wasn’t so easily convinced 
that his wounds were slight, 
and begged Snug to help 
him to the Doctor’s office, 
declaring as he limped off, 
leaning on Snug, that he 
knew he should die before 
he got there, and then 
have his leg cut off into the 
bargain. On the way 
Snug remembered he had 
left the gun behind, and 
ran back to get it. 

When he came within a 
few rods of the place where 
he had dropped the gun, 
there sat Jack-Rabbit, gun 
in hand, who called out to 
him, threateningly, “Now 
97 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


it’s my turn. Come one 
step nearer and I will fire.” 

Two thoughts flashed 
into Snug’s mind: that the 
gun was single barrelled 
and now he knew it 
“wasn’t loaded,” and the 
other was that Jack-rabbits 
did not wear cartridge belts 
stocked with hunting- 
shells. 

“Fire away! Who’s 
afraid?” he shouted back, 
and sprang after Jack- 
Rabbit, who had turned to 
run as soon as he saw that 
his bold challenge did not 
scare the monkey. 

The gun was heavy and 
Snug soon caught hold of 
the butt and wrenched it 

98 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


away, while Jack-Rabbit 
skipped over the wall as 
Snug shouted after him: 

“You better look out for your wag- 
glety ears, 

Or I’ll clip ’em as short as your 
tall; 

For I know where there’s a pair of 
big shears 

That’ll make a Jack-rabbit turn 
pale !” 

Then Snug joined his 
wounded chum, and when 
they reached the Doctor’s 
office, the monkey-surgeon 
found three or four little 
round bits of lead lodged 
just under the skin, which 
he easily removed with his 
forceps, and patched up 
the places with plaster. 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


When told how the ac- 
cident had happened, and 
that they “didn’t know the 
gun was loaded,” the 
monkey -surgeon sternly 
said: “You are lucky to 
get off so easily. Be off 
with you now, and the 
next time either of you 
try fooling with a strange 
gun you may be lucky 
enough to hit a stone wall, 
or get more shot in the 
wrong place.” 

This sounded very cruel 
and unkind, but the gruff 
old monkey-surgeon was 
growing old, and getting 
rather tired of patching up 
young monkeys and old, 
on Fourth of July and be- 


lOO 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


tween times, whose only 
excuse for getting hurt or 
hurting others, was that 
they “didn’t know it was 
loaded.” 

When Snug reached 
home, and had put the 
gun in the rack in the 
stable, he met his mother- 
monkey, who at once be- 
gan to tell him what had 
happened while he had 
been away: 

That a fierce hen-hawk 
had caught one of their 
best pullets and carried her 
off to the top of a tall tree 
just over the way, and had 
eaten the pullet right in 
plain sight, because some- 
one had borrowed or sto- 


lOI 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


len father-monkey’s gun 
from the stable. 

Snug quickly explained 
that he had taken the gun 
but had put it back in the 
rack all right. 

“ Run at once,” said the 
mother-monkey, “and tell 
your father, who is out in 
the orchard with a club, 
watching the chickens for 
fear the hawk will come 
back to get another.” 

Snug ran and told his 
father that he had put the 
gun back in the stable, and 
away rushed the father- 
monkey in haste to get the 
gun, remarking, “I’ll settle 
with you later. I have a 
little business to attend 


102 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


to with that hawk over 
there in the tree.” 

Presently the father- 
monkey came back with 
the gun just in time to see 
the hawk swoop down 
upon another pullet. The 
father-monkey raised the 
gun to his shoulder, and, 
taking a quick aim upon 
the hawk, he pulled the 
trigger and — “click!” 
went the hammer, but no 
“bang,” while the hawk 
took his pick from the 
flock and calmly soared 
away over the tree- tops 
into the forest beyond. 

The father-monkey 
looked at the hawk, at his 
gun and at Snug, and then 

103 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


sat down on the grass and 
covered his face with his 
hands. 

Snug hastened to his 
side and earnestly asked, 
“What is the matter, father? 
Are you hurt?” 

“Not much! My only 
son has broken my heart; 
I have lost two of my best 
pullets, and I would give 
the whole flock to get 
square with that rascally 
hawk, and the monkey that 
unloaded my gun. I may 
live through it, but I don’t 
know whether you will or 
not!” 

But Snug did, — for the 
father- and mother-monkey 
finally decided that a man- 

104 


PLAYING WILD INDIANS 


monkey who foolishly left 
a loaded gun in the stable 
was almost as much to 
blame for the accident as 
the boy-monkey who 
“didn’t know the gun was 
loaded.” 



105 



The Rabbit-Horse and 
Turtle-Rider 


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VI 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


J ACK-RABBIT had 
enjoyed his breakfast 
and was wondering 
what he could do next to 
keep himself out of mis- 
chief. 

The birds overhead in 
the grove were having a 
morning concert, the tiny 
creatures under the leaves 
and grass were busy about 
their own affairs, and the 
rocks and hummocks over 
in the pasture seemed un- 
usually dull and lifeless. 

The pasture reminded 
him of the lively time he 

109 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


had run away from, a 
few days before, when he 
played Buffalo, and Snug 
and Monkey-Pug were 
Wild Indians. 

Then Jack-Rabbit lay 
down in the high grass and 
laughed until his sides 
ached, chuckling and 
talking to himself as he 
thought about how well 
his “wagglety ears” plan 
had worked, while the 
Indians were armed only 
with wooden guns. 

Somehow the little 
scheme did not seem so 
funny when he remem- 
bered the “bang!” of the 
real gun, and he began to 
get lonesome and restless. 


no 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


“I wonder what makes 
me feel so nervous this 
morning,” said Jaek to 
himself. “It is about time 
for the turtles to be crawl- 
ing out into the sun. I’ll 
take a gallop over to the 
pond; they are better 
company than none,” said 
Jack to himself. 

Bounding away at full 
speed. Jack soon reached 
the pond, and, springing to 
within a few feet of the 
log on which the turtles 
were dozing, he shouted : 

“Wake up, sleepy! or 
the nightmare will catch 
you in broad daylight.” 

“ Mercy, how you startled 
me!” said old Shellback 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


Turtle, while the others 
tumbled off the log and 
hid in the water. 

“You ought not to be 
so nervous and flighty, at 
your time of life,” said 
Jack. “Why should you 
be afraid when you have 
your house on your back 
to hide in at any time?” 

“I thought you were a 
hungry fox, or one of those 
hoodlum-monkeys playing 
truant from school,” re- 
plied Shellback. 

“Which do you like 
best, foxes or hoodlums?” 
asked Jack. 

“Neither, when they 
meddle with me or mine,” 
said Shellback, “but I 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


would live in peace with 
them, and the rest of you 
over-grown creatures, if 
foxes were not so hungry, 
the hoodlums were not so 
fond of cruel sport, and 
you were not so boisterous 
when making morning 
calls during my nap hours.” 

“Oh, don’t be touchy 
and cross,” said Jack. “It 
is only my way of being 
cheerful, when I am lone- 
some and feel like talking 
with someone who has 
troubles of his own.” 

“You seem to enjoy 
making your share of 
trouble for others,” mut- 
tered Shellback. “What 
were you stirring up those 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


monkeys for, in the pas- 
ture the other day?” 

“I didn’t stir them up. 
They were stirring me up,” 
said Jack. 

“You have legs and 
ought to have left the 
hunters miles behind, in- 
stead of trying to be funny, 
when they had a gun,” said 
Shellback. 

“The monkeys had only 
wooden guns when they 
began the circus,” replied 
Jack. 

“I know, I know,” said 
Shellback, “but you mocked 
them until they were angry, 
and then you know what 
happened.” 

“Oh, yes, the big one 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


got shot in the legs, and 
you would have laughed 
the shell off your back to 
have heard that monkey 
howl, and to see him 
spin round on one foot. 
Haven’t enjoyed anything 
so much since I saw you 
chewing and hanging on 
the ear of that young fox 
who was trying to break 
your grandson’s back with 
a rock,” replied Jack with 
a chuckle. 

“That was no laughing 
matter. I was defending my 
helpless little ones. You 
have queer notions of fun 
that gives pain to others. 
What a nice, tender-hearted 
playmate you would have 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


been had you been born a 
powerful tiger instead of a 
bragging, teasing Jack- 
rabbit!” 

« I didn’t come over here 
to listen to a free lecture,” 
sulkily replied Jack, and 
to change the subject he 
asked: 

“Where are all the little 
turtles this morning?” 

“I’m here waiting for 
you to play horse and 
rider with me,” piped a 
young turtle that was 
hiding in the underbrush. 

“Come out and show 
yourself,” said Jack, “and 
I’ll give you a ride on my 
back, while your aged 
guardian thinks up another 

ii6 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 

sermon, or finishes his 
nap.” 

The eager turtlet 
scrambled over the rubbish 
to Jack’s side, and clam- 
bered on to his back, as 
the tall rabbit crouched 
close to the ground for the 
turtlet to mount. 

“Be careful you do not 
fall ofF, and come back 
soon,” cautioned Shellback, 
as off went the pair at an 
easy gallop over the fields. 

Once out of sight from 
the pond. Jack quickened 
his gait and ran as if chased 
by greyhounds, while the 
frightened turtlet clung to 
his bounding seat and cried 
out: 

117 


rabbitIhorse-turtle-rider 

“ Not so fast, not so fast, 
please! You will shake 
me off!” 

“Q^uit sticking your 
sharp claws into my flesh, 
and hold on by my mane,” 
shouted Jack in answer, 
and continued at full speed 
for a few miles over hill 
and dale, until for lack of 
breath he halted in a clump 
of bushes, and began to 
scold the turtlet for hurt- 
ing his back with the grip 
of his claws. 

“You’ve drawn blood, 
you thankless little 
rascal. Don’t you know 
any better than to stick 
those needle-toes of yours 
into my tender shoulders?” 

ii8 








RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


growled Jack, as the turtlet 
tumbled off into the grass. 

“How could I help it 
when you ran so fast, and 
joggled me so hard?” said 
the turtlet. “I thought 
you were running away 
from some danger, not 
just playing horse and rider 
easy, as you did the other 
day.” 

“I’ll teach you not to 
answer back to me,” said 
the grumpy J ack. “If you 
don’t like my way you can 
walk home, when you get 
ready.” 

“You will not leave 
me way off here alone, 
will you?” cried the fright- 
ened turtlet. “How can I 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 

ever get back, it is so far, 
and I do not know the 
way?” 

“You will be as old as 
your grandfather by the 
time you get home, and 
that lecturing Shellback 
will be surprised to see how 
you have grown,” said Jack, 
so sternly that the little 
turtlet began crying as if 
his heart would break. 

Jack backed off a short 
distance, and sat down, as 
if he had no more to say, 
when “snap! click!” went 
something close behind 
him, and when he tried to 
jump away his stubby tail 
was caught fast in a 
small steel trap, which was 


120 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


fastened by a chain to a 
sapling. 

Now it was Jack’s turn 
to be frightened, and if the 
monkeys had been there 



to see they might have 
laughed — had they been 
so ill-bred and revengeful 
— to see the Jack-rabbit 
standing on his hind legs, 
swinging a steel trap behind 


I2I 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


him, as if to lengthen out 
his stubby tail. 

“Come here and see if 
you can help me,” said the 
squirming Jack to the as- 
tonished turtlet. “ Luckily 
for me, the j aws of this trap 
have caught more fur than 
flesh in their grip, and per- 
haps with your sharp teeth 
you can nibble around the 
edges, and get me out of 
this wretched scrape, before 
the trapper comes to see 
what kind of an idiot Jackr- 
rabbit he has caught.” 

Jack was so cool about 
the situation that the turt- 
let never guessed how the 
fur pulled, or how big an 
ache one small end of a 


122 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


very short tail could hold, 
when gripped in steel jaws, 
and he at once began to 
bite off the hairs all round 
the edge of the trap. 

At last only the tip end 
of a bare stump of the tail 
was still held in the firm- 
gripping trap, and with a 
sigh that ended in a groan 
Jack said: 

“Stand back now, and 
give me a slack on that 
chain, while I make a jump 
for freedom. Something 
has got to come, tail or no 
tail. 

“Wow! How that 
hurt!” shouted Jack, as 
with a bound he landed 
ten feet away, leaving be- 

123 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


hind a clump of fur and 
skin in the trap. 

“That’s getting off with 
tail to spare,” said Jack, as 
he twisted his head about 
to see how much he had 
left on his body, and took 
a quick glance at the other 
part which his plucky jump 
had left in the jaws, that 
seemed to be grinning at 
him. 

Turning to the turtlet 
Jack smiled a feeble, sickly 
smile as he remarked: 

“I’ll give you an easy 
ride home. Sonny, if you 
promise never, never to tell 
what has happened to me 
here. I was only joking 
when I teased you about 


124 


RABBIT-HORSE— TURTLE'RIDER 


leaving you to walk home. 
It is only one of my cheer- 
ful ways — and you mustn’t 
mind a little thing like 
that, any more than I do 
that keepsake I am leaving 
here for the smarty-smart 
trapper. 

“Oh, but that is a good 
joke on him ! How he will 
enjoy his rabbit supper 
to-night! I hope he has 
a large family of small 
children with full-grown 
appetites. Come on, 
‘Turt.’ I shall feel better 
moving on, but please grip 
the fur only, this time. 
I’ve lost flesh and blood 
enough for one day. Pre- 
pare to mount! Mount!” 


125 


RABBIT-HORSE-TURTLE-RIDER 


Away went the rabbit- 
horse and turtle-rider, and 
as they reached the edge of 
the pond, Jack quietly 
said: 

“Give my love to your 
dear grandfather, and tell 
him what a jolly ride you 
have had. I think I will 
not disturb his nap this 
noon, as I have a little 
matter that needs prompt 
attention. ‘Mum’ is the 
word, you know. By-by!” 


126 


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SEP 1 1906 







